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How To Become A Male Porn Star

How Do You Become A Male XXX Star? We Got One To Tell All

PrintLindsay Tigar

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If you'd like to stop watching porn and start starring in it, heed the advice of porn pros Ashlynn Brooke and Shane Diesel.

Apart from being a way to relieve stress, build endurance and, you know, have a nice time, watching some pornography might be more than just an illicit, harmless way to explore your fantasies -- it could actually inspire a career change.

That being said, believe it when we say that every guy -- and yep, from your brother to your old high school coach -- has thought to himself, "Hmm, I wonder what it's like to be a male porn star? And do I have what it takes to make it big?" (Pun intended.)

The long and the short of breaking into stardom with your pants off is this: It's a lot of hard work. Just like with any other performance-based career -- there is a lot of competition, hurdles to overcome, names to drop and difficult times to get through before you make your way to the starring credits.

As porn actress Julia Ann explains, "Getting into the industry isn't as easy for men as it is for women. It has always been that the most common way men became actors was when they were dating female actresses and they wanted to shoot together."

So, short of dating a porn star, how do the big names actually make it happen? Here, we follow an adult porn star -- the talented Ryan Driller -- about how he broke into the industry, how he picked his name, his best advice and the honest truth on if he'd recommend his highly-sought- (and lusted-)after career to another guy.

Here's how to become a male porn star (and if you should want to be one):

1. How A Real Porn Star Got His Start In The Industry

For Driller, the experience was a bit of a checkered one. About a decade ago, he retired from what he called the traditional office gig, logging in 40 hours a week and pulling out a new button-up to wear Monday through Friday. But once he walked out of those corporate doors for the final time, he decided to embark on a new journey, that led down the polar-opposite path.

"I had learned that doing what makes me happy, will leave me much happier and successful. So, since I'd always thought about getting into porn, and had the time and means to do so, I started looking into getting into the industry," he said.

How did he break through? It wasn't easy: he attempted to apply to companies he knew from being a consumer (more on that later), but ultimately turned to Craigslist's 'Adult Gigs' to build his network of contacts. "From there, the producers and others on set, would share my information with other productions they were on, and I kept getting booked more and more," he explained.

2. What Porn Companies Should Men Apply To?

While you might have touched up your resume and set up a LinkedIn Job Alert to land that first full-time job out of college, if you're going to build your career in porn, Driller says applying to companies is frankly a waste of time -- if you're a man, that is.

"As a guy, there are no porn companies that you apply to. Trust me, I've tried. I'm on set, with producers; not one of them has seen your email. When a porn site, company or performer gets a 'Give me a shot' email or direct message, they get trashed before they get opened. The assumption is, your email has some micro-penis attached to a pot belly, and your grammar never exceeded 2nd grade," Driller says.

While that may or may not be an exaggeration, Driller says that when he met with a producer at Naughty America at an event, she was putting his email address in her phone, when a message from him -- 15 months prior -- popped up. "She laughed that she never opened it or looked at it, throwing it away with the 200 others she receives every day," he explained.

Instead of going straight to the big name (or even the little name) companies that produce and market porn, Driller says getting involved with an agency is a better and more successful path. "Start with three photos, face, full body and a clothed picture. If they like your introduction, then they'll ask for the other stuff and maybe you'll be able to go on their site," he says.

"You may then be thrown into a 'content trade' scene with one of their girls, who is shooting content for her personal website. You won't be paid for this, but you will be put onto a real set, and shot with the production there, to see if you can perform. You'll get a copy of the content for your own site for when and if you build one."

But if that happens? Driller makes one very important note of caution: "If you can't perform, then you're pretty much done. There really aren't any second chances here."

3. How Do You Pick A Stage Name?

Many years ago, when porn was still a relatively new sector of entertainment (and definitely not something you searched for online at any given moment) -- having the right name was really important. It also was a way to shield actors from being discovered by their friends and family -- long before Google and Facebook were a thing, and nothing became private.

But these days? Driller says stressing about your name is an old school way of thinking. Why? There's no way to hide from your adult film star life, so you might as well own it. "A stage name no longer matters. Just to be honest. Thank you social media, Google, your ex and or her friends, and your former high school classmates, you're going to be called out, and the internet is going to announce your real name everywhere, anyway," Driller says.

That being said, if your last name has five syllables and is tough to pronounce, it might not be as easy for people to remember that-one-guy-in-that-scene and make you go viral. To this, Driller recommends you "pick something easy. Easy to pronounce, easy to spell, easy to remember."

4. What To Consider Before Doing Porn

If you're prepped -- and pumped -- to take on the ebbs and flows of the porn industry, Driller says it's important to take time to consider the personal and professional ramifications of making one specific body part your North Star:

Tell People First

You know this already but the Internet follows you everywhere, so instead of having several uncomfortable conversations with your loved ones, pony up and let them in on your dirty secret from the get go. "First, tell your girlfriend, your mom, her mom, and your sister that you're doing porn. They're going to find out the day your first scene is released, anyway. Do you want it to come from your ex, her boyfriend, your neighbor, her boss? So, think about that conversation," Driller says.

Have A Plan

While actors and musicians can perform well into their golden years, for adult film stars and models, the same isn't always true. There will come a time when you no longer want to (or are invited to) make videos, so considering your future employment is a smart idea.

If you do decide you want to go into a new field after doing porn for a while, it might not be as rosy of an experience as you would have hoped. "Think about what all you want to do and be doing in five years. Are you OK with probably never getting to do that? If you fail at porn, you won't be [directing porn] in five years. If you want to be a teacher, you won't be doing that in ten years," Driller says. "Times are changing and porn is less taboo; but porn will close just about any door where you have to work for someone else."

5. What Are Some Tips For Getting Into Porn?

Once you've settled and accepted the reality of the career, exploring the industry will be confusing and at times, disappointing. However, there are some ways to make the process easier and at the very least, get you more auditions and gigs to build your portfolio. Here, Driller shares his pro tips.

Move To Las Vegas, Los Angeles Or Miami

"If you're serious about getting into the industry, you have to be located in one of these three cities. You are not going to be booked or hired far out, for a while. Chances are, for the first year, the majority of your bookings are going to be day-of, when you get an email that says 'Get to this location, now, if you want to work,'" Driller says.

Let Go Of Your Ego

"Being a guy in the industry is awesome, awful and humbling all at the same time. As a guy, you're there to make the girl look good, and deliver the scene that is needed. Ninety-nine percent of the time, you are never going to be noticed, or publicly recognized, or thought about on set, other than to make sure that you can deliver what's expected. What's expected, is not necessarily what you want, like or are thinking about. The industry does not need you, personally; they need a male performer," Driller says.

Show That You're Dynamic

"You need to be ready, to do whatever is asked of you, when you're asked to do it. You have to prove that you can give Naughty America what it wants, versus giving Digital Playground what they want. If you can't, then there's a whole line of guys behind you that can," Driller says.

"The reason you only see so many guys in your porn, is because we've shown that we can do it, and we're reliable and consistent. We've proven that we can take the direction and be thrown into whatever situation they want. The producers know what they're getting with us, and aren't having to take a gamble on whether or not the new guy can deliver. That's why you won't be booked until last minute at first, when no one else is available. Chances are, you won't even be alone at first, just so that when you fail, there's someone else to take over."

6. Is Porn Safe?

The million dollar question, right? Though performers are sometimes required to wear a condom, other times, especially in the low-budget films where you'll get your start, rules are broken and health can be compromised. Overall, though, does Driller think porn is safe?

"I find porn to be safer than 90% of the general public's attitude and behavior toward sexual activity. In porn we monitor our health on a consistent basis so as to reduce the spread of any issues amongst our own. No, a test is not a protective measure, other than its knowledge. I know that when I was tested five days ago, I did not have anything. So, should I test for something next week, I know that it came from some time within that window. I can alert those I worked with, to hopefully let them get treated and not spread further. They can do the same thing, too. Generally speaking, the industry is safe, in my mind. We look out for one another. We make sure we're all aware and comfortable, and safe," Driller says.

7. Would A Porn Star Recommend Doing Porn?

While it might seem like porn stars are able to live the kind of dream your teenage self dreamt of in your parent's basement, praying you wouldn't get caught by your parents, Driller says that while he'd recommend watching porn, he wouldn't necessarily advise it as a career path.

"I love my job. I'm here because I want to be here. I don't need to be here. I've worked in 'the real world' and I've followed my own path, everywhere. I thought about all the ramifications and possibilities that could happen in pursuing porn. I've had the conversations with my family and friends. I know what I got myself into and what I'm doing," he says.

"But the moment that you're labeled a porn star, your credibility is gone, your morality is seen as faulty and compromised, your intelligence is questioned, and your wellbeing is doubted. I do not recommend it for anyone, unless they absolutely know and want to be here. If you're just considering it, you don't belong. I you think you'd be OK, you don't belong. If you've really wanted to be in porn, but just aren't sure, then you don't belong. If you don't have a backup plan, you don't belong. You have to be ready and willing to do anything, and to run when you need to, too."

The bottom line? Really consider all of the possibilities and what you really want out of life before you get naked in front of a camera.